DD is refusing to bf due to teething, shall i express to keep supply up?

[Gina1981]

DD is 8 months old and teething at the mo. We are doing BLW and she is also refusing to eat anything. She is bf-ing less and less and her nappies are hardly wet and my breast are engorged!

I've just expressed as i was very uncomfortable and expressed 8oz just like that! Shall i continue to express to keep up my supply of shall i just go with her demands and my supply wont suffer?

Surely she isn't self weaning or could she be? I always thought if she did then i'll have to offer formula but unfortunately she is allergic to cows milk! I have been prescribed pepti junior which i hear tastes vile???

I'm at my wits end as her consumption of either fluids or solids is next to nothing! Please help!

Anyone? Would really appreciate some advice.

it's very doubtful at 8months that she's self-weaning.

teething can be very uncomfortable - my DS always suffers and becomes very fussy when bf.

The lack of wet nappies and lack of bf may merit a call to your HV or GP to check that your DD is not becoming dehydrated.

You need to keep offering the feeds in the meantime.

sorry, should have added that although ds finds feeding painful when teething, i still feed him and give him calpol.

I've been offering the breast pretty much every 1-2 hours. She has Only had 3 feeds today. She is biting me now and it is so painful. I've been giving painkillers. I really hope she begins to pick up soon.

how long has this been going on for? Have you called your GP/HV?

Are there any other symptoms?

if dd is biting then you can try a few things:

-gently delatch with your finger then allow her to re-attach
-pull her into your chest for a very short period - you'll be making breathing briefly difficult, so she'll have to let go.
-scream out - it will shock your DD and she may stop/delatch

This has been going on since Saturday I guess. I'm really worried about my supply. Surely each day that goes by I'm making less and less. I just don't know what to offer her anymore!! She's refusing to eat or drink.

at 8 months, your supply should be well established, so it should respond well when your DD feels hungrier again - usually takes 24/48 hours for your supply to adjust.

if you are really concerned, then do try expressing some, but if you don't get much, don't worry as what you can express is not a barometer for how much milk your baby can suckle from you. your baby will be much more efficent!

Have you tried a BF helpline? The National Breastfeeding helpline number is: 0300 100 0212. or you can try La Leche League: 0845 120 2918

Thank you for all your advice I really appreciate it. She seems to have picked up a bit as the day went on. It's such a worry when they don't eat or drink. Ive been giving her calpol every 4 hours which I think has helped and have started giving her the powder teetha.

We were doing so well with BLW and now I feel like we have gone straight back to the beginning. I really hope she starts to eat more again.

I'm seeing the HV tomorrow so I'll see what she'll say. DD is a stubborn little one and ver independent too!! Fingers crossed we over the worst.

good news!

i sympathise entirely. my ds is i think about to cut his last teeth. he's had his hands in his mouth all day (and anything else he could fit in there!), red cheeks, red bum etc the full works!

it's pretty miserable for them and worrying for the parent as well, as no one likes to see their baby in discomfort. if your DD is anything like mine, she'll more than make up for the lost feeding when her mouth stops hurting so much.

you won't have gone back to the beginning with BLW. it's peaks and troughs for ages - some days they eat masses, others they pick a little. that's why bf is such a god-send! you know there's so many good nutrients they are getting from it, and even though she's been feeding less, she will still be getting some milk and it's still her primary supply of nutrition. you could try giving her cold cubes/sticks of food to teeth/gnaw on, which might be a good soother.

have you had a look on the Weaning board? there's lots of helpful advice/recipes and ideas there for BLW and there's a BLW site with forums and recipes too that's pretty good.

hope all is well when you see the HV tomorrow.